Newsroom
McDonald’s, one of the world’s most recognizable brands, is recalibrating its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in response to recent societal and legal changes. The fast-food giant is the latest major company to step back from some of its diversity goals, joining others like Walmart, Ford, and Harley-Davidson. But what does this mean for the broader conversation about DEI initiatives in corporate America, and why should Europeans care?
In 2023, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling effectively banned affirmative action in college admissions. This decision, combined with mounting conservative backlash against DEI programs, has spurred many corporations to reevaluate their approaches to workplace diversity. McDonald’s recently announced that it would retire specific diversity targets for senior leadership and end a program encouraging its suppliers to implement their own DEI goals. Additionally, the company will no longer participate in external surveys, such as those conducted by the Human Rights Campaign, which assess LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion.
Despite these changes, McDonald’s is not abandoning its commitment to inclusion altogether. The company has rebranded its diversity team as the “Global Inclusion Team,” a move it claims better reflects its core values. McDonald’s stated that it remains steadfast in promoting inclusivity, working with suppliers on diversity practices, and fostering entrepreneurship through franchisee affinity groups.
“We’re a people business, and never forget it,” McDonald’s declared, quoting its founder Fred Turner. The company highlighted progress made under previous initiatives: 30% of its U.S. leadership now comes from underrepresented groups, and it achieved its goal of allocating 25% of supply-chain spending to diverse-owned suppliers by 2025, ahead of schedule.
McDonald’s isn’t alone in this shift. Retail giants like Walmart and automakers like Ford have also scaled back or redefined their DEI strategies. However, experts caution against viewing these moves as a wholesale retreat. “DEI isn’t going away; it’s just changing,” says J. Danielle Carr, a leader in diversity advocacy.
Companies like Costco, for example, have doubled down on the benefits of diversity programs, citing increased employee satisfaction and unique product offerings that appeal to diverse customer bases. The warehouse retailer’s supplier initiatives have not only enhanced its brand but also driven innovation and profitability.
While this is starting as an internal American debate, its ripple effects extend globally. As multinational corporations adjust their diversity strategies in the U.S., these changes influence how they operate worldwide. European businesses, often seen as leaders in workplace inclusion, may find themselves navigating similar pressures in an increasingly polarized world.
At its core, the evolution of corporate DEI reflects a broader conversation about how companies balance inclusion with shifting societal expectations. Whether McDonald’s and others maintain the spirit of their commitments remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the dialogue around diversity in the workplace is far from over, on either side of the Atlantic.
